Before a soccer player works their way up to the pro level, they must have started in youth soccer. It doesn’t matter the level, but they don’t just start off playing 11v11 right off the bat.
This is because playing in smaller teams helps their development. More importantly, playing in smaller teams puts less physical pressure on their bodies, allowing their bodies to grow naturally.
One of the teams that youth soccer players play in is a nine-man team. This team has its own field dimensions. The following is a description of what a 9v9 soccer field should look like.
What is 9v9 Soccer Field Dimensions?
First of all, let’s learn all about 9v9 soccer.
I know I stated at the beginning of this article that it is mostly used in youth soccer. While that’s true, we cannot ignore the fact that coaches at the pro-soccer level use this team setup in scrimmages and squad practice games.
It is a setup that is made for players to display their basic and other skills as they learn how to be self-sufficient on the ball.
This self-sufficiency is important in soccer, even though it’s a team sport, because opponent tactics can cause situations to arise where individual brilliance will be the only way out.
Now, let’s learn how the soccer field for a 9v9 is set up.
Field Length
Every soccer federation or association in all the countries of the world follows the IFAB (International Football Association Board) rules for how to mark their soccer fields.
However, there are some peculiarities from nation to nation. US Soccer has its own peculiarities, of course, coming up with recommendations for different age groups that play the sport.
The recommended field length for 9v9 soccer according to US Youth Soccer – the sub-organization of US Soccer that oversees youth soccer – is 70 to 80 yards.
This means the sidelines/touchlines must be no longer than the quoted figures. Learn more about the different lines on a soccer field by reading our article here.
Field Width
The field width of a 9v9 soccer field is 45 to 55 yards according to US Youth Soccer regulations.
Outside of US Youth Soccer, most follow the IFAB/FIFA guidelines and use a 9v9 soccer field with a width of 50 yards which means that a US Youth Soccer field is wider by 5 yards less or smaller by 5 yards.
The line which is measured to determine the width of the field is the goal line, which is situated at the top of the field.
Once the touchline/sideline that determines the soccer field length is measured, the goal line is drawn from the top to get the right width.
Field Goal Frame
16 feet wide and 7 feet high is the IFAB’s recommended size for a 9v9 soccer field goal frame. However, US Youth Soccer mandates teams in the country to use goal frames that are no higher than 7 feet and no wider than 21 feet.
However, their recommendation to teams is to use frames that are 6.5 feet high and 18.5 wide.
Looking at the field goal frame sizes mandated by US Youth Soccer, we can surmise that they’re preparing kids for a life when they will be defending goal frames that are 8 feet high and 24 feet wide, as directed by IFAB and US Soccer.
Field Penalty Box
The penalty box is the area where goalscoring action takes place on a soccer field. It is a sensitive area for defenders because any wrong move could lead to punishment.
The punishment could be in the form of penalty kicks which could be accompanied by red cards or yellow cards. You can read more about the penalty box, penalty kicks, red cards and yellow cards by clicking the links.
There are two penalty boxes on every soccer field, and of course, the dimensions differ from 5v5 soccer to 11v11 soccer.
For 9v9, the mandated field penalty box dimensions are 14 yards long and 36 yards wide, with the penalty spot marking located centrally, precisely 10 yards from the goal line.
FAQ
At What Age Do You Play 9v9?
Youth soccer is where 9v9 team setups are prevalent, precisely at the U-11 and U-12 levels. Before players get to this level, they must have played at U-6, U-7 and U-9 levels.
At these levels of youth soccer, they would play on 5v5 and 7v7 soccer fields, which also have their own dimensions and field markings.
It is important to note, however, that 9v9 soccer is also used at the pro level by coaches for tactical reasons such as skill training and attacking training. The coaches may choose to play on a 9v9 soccer field or an 11v11 soccer field.
How Many Minutes is a 9v9 Game?
Here are some rules to know about a 9v9 soccer game.
- The game can’t start until there are at least seven players on either team.
- Ball size must be size 5 (size 4 is allowed)
- A 9v9 soccer game duration is 1 hour – two halves of 30 minutes each with a 10-minute half-time break.
- The offside rules are the same as 11v11 soccer because 9v9 soccer is the prelude to the pro-level 11v11 soccer.
- FIFA/IFAB allows for two players older than the age grade competing (i.e. at U-12 level, a team can have two 13 or 14-year-old players).
Final Thoughts
9v9 soccer can be used in official games, that is, in youth soccer leagues or tournaments. Outside of youth soccer, it’s used only in scrimmages and practice. It is preceded by 5v5 soccer and 7v7 soccer and succeeded by 11v11 soccer.
9v9 soccer also has its formations, like 11v11 soccer and other soccer game setups. The common ones in 9v9 soccer are 2-3-3, 2-1-4-1, 3-2-3, 3-1-3-1, 2-4-2, and 2-2-3-1. The coaches decide on the formations based on what they intend to achieve with the game.
This is a great way to develop on the field which means special care must be taken to make sure that the field caters to the players so that they don’t overexert themselves while playing.
